Review of The Severing Crime Edge
This anime was the recommendation. I was sold pretty much by synopsis read on MyAnimeList and how my friend described it – along with a video excerpt. It looked and sounded like it would be a very interesting decent fantasy romp but it failed in all the right places in the wrongest of ways. You've probably read the synopsis. Interesting, no? Well, that’s all Crime Edge has going for itself. First of all, as interesting as the story is, it manages to seriously hamper it’s fresh plot with cliches and plot devices one can normally see in 3rd-rate Shounen anime and manga. The setting is basically fora ‘survival game’ so you know this is a Seinen production. Not only the characters but the plot devices also have some of the mos ridiculous names I’ve ever heard even by Japanese standards. One of the main characters’ name is Mushiyanokouji. Why? The weapons used by characters are called ‘Killing Goods’. Ew. And the Killing Goods have their own stupid names: ‘The Sledgehammer of Decomposition/Obliteration’, ‘The Fucking Name of the Anime’, etc. What is going on here?!
The concept of the show is interesting for a survival game but the plot is all sorts of fucked up and not fully thought out. Contradictions in the plot here and there are very obvious. Melodramatic scenes are shoehorned in for the sake of plot advancement but it instead just devalues the characters motivations for participation. My biggest problem with the show is that at many points the MC is shown to be having a conflict with his urge to kill (caused by his Killing Goods) but this is massively shat on in the second last episode when he powers up and gives in to his urges but… his new power is augmented pain. Talk about an anti-climax.
The characters also cast a huge shadow on the worth of this show. They feel like mannequins that are easily manipulated to go out of character to suit the show’s emotional ‘twists’. There’s barely any fleshing out of the characters and development is almost non-existent.
The animation is decent. Nothing special. Though I guess this is the place to voice some idiotic design concerns. The scissor the MC uses (his Killing Goods) has to be the lamest weapon I’ve ever seen. They are the bluntest sharp object I’ve ever seen. Making it scissor-COMB was also a dumb also. You’re telling me a murderer went around cutting up people with a damned scissor-COMB? What? And the MC is practically hopping all over the place cutting enemies up like a samurai.
Also, the fan-service is annoying. Jiggly breasts, domination, lewd blood transfusions, sensual hair cutting, LICKING HAIR, and a 5 minute scene with a bandaged naked loli playing around with a bare Mushiankhsadhkaswhateverthenameis. I don’t mind fan-service (and most of the time even welcome it) but this is just tasteless.
The music is also pretty meh. I guess. I don’t know. Half the voices in the show were as squeaky as a rubber duckling so paying attention to the background music felt like a chore.
Anyways, I rate this anime a 3/10. Except for it being somewhat interesting, it has no redeeming qualities whatsoever.